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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Matryoshka Doll Ornament

There is something so nice and comforting about Holiday Traditions isn't there? A thread tying memories together from year to year. It seems most of our traditions tend to revolve around food in our family, but I thought it would be fun to start making each child a Christmas ornament every year (am I setting myself up for failure here? Probably.) and then someday when they leave our little nest (sniff) they will have something to start their own Christmas decoration stash with--and take a little piece of their childhood home with them too.

I had a little down time last week (has the cold bug hit your house too?) so I pulled out my stash of felt and got to work.

I am sort of in love with little Matryoshka Dolls (have been seeing so many cute ones around lately) and thought it would be the perfect thing for my own little dolly this year, so I drew up a pattern.

To make your own, you will need:Several pieces of wool felt in whatever colors you fancySeveral colors of embroidery floss+ needlecotton or polyester stuffing (like fiberfill)fabric gluedisappearing fabric marker with a fine tipsharp scissors (this will make all the difference in cutting out precise shapes)ribbon (or ric-rac, string, floss...whatever) to hang

To get the pattern, just right click on it and save it to your computer. Then print out as many copies as you need. You might want to size it down a bit...I printed mine at 70%. (or print it at full size and give it to your busy little helper if you have one, to color on while you are working.)

Cut out all of your felt pieces using the pattern as a template (cut 2 of the large background body pieces and as and many of the other shapes as you'd like). For the bigger pieces I pin the pattern to the felt and cut, and for the smaller ones I either trace directly onto the felt with a disappearing fabric marker, or I just free-hand them. Obviously this pattern is meant to be a guideline...you could easily play around and make your own design on the front!

Stitch the eyes and mouth onto the face piece using a back stitch (mark with disappearing fabric marker as a guide first if you prefer). I don't bother with using an embroidery hoop for these kinds of projects. For the eyes and mouth I used a regular piece of black thread, doubled.

Glue your design pieces (using fabric glue) onto the face and body as you see fit. (I tend to not glue quite all the way to the edge of the piece I am gluing as it makes it more difficult to pull your needle through when doing your embroidery.) Helpful chubby toddler hands optional.

Now add some embroidery wherever you'd like. (You could easily skip this step and just glue your pieces on and call it a day...but I think the embroidery makes it special.) For all embroidery on this project I used 3 strands of embroidery floss (it has 6 threads as it comes...to separate, just cut the length you need and pull apart as many threads as you want to use), and an embroidery needle.

For my doll, I used a:split stitch for the hair, flower petals, and (2 side by side rows) stemrunning stitch for the cheeks and flower petalsfrench knot for the center of the flower and around the outside of petalsback stitch to embroider name and year on the back piece

At this point I added some more embroidery (split stitching) around the face and body.

Secure whatever sort of string or ribbon you are using as a hanger on the inside center of the back piece with a glob of fabric glue. Once it has dried, place front piece on top of back piece and blanket stitch around the whole thing leaving a space big enough to put stuffing through.

I just saw this featured on Prudent Baby and had to stop by. I made some felt nesting doll puppets for my girls earlier this year http://letsgoflyakiteuptothehighestheight.blogspot.com/2010/05/felt-matryoshka-nesting-dolls.htmlThis

So this ornament would be perfect! Thanks for this wonderful tutorial.

I can't wait to make this! So glad you shared and I was trying to make some felt foods last night and was wishing someone would share what stitches to do where and what exactly they look like so you are my lifesaver! Thanks!

Oh I am glad you asked Elle...I bought a bunch from Heather Bailey...she has really great colors. But then I discovered I could get a better deal at a local fabric store Material Girls in South Jordan if you happen to live in Utah) buying it by the yard. I think the stuff I got there was actually by the same manufacturer (sorry I don't know who it is though). Just look for something that is a wool blend and you'll do great!

Hi! This is definitely one of my favorite projects, I've wanted to try embroidery for a long time. Becuase this was my first attempt I pretty much copied your design but I'm so happy with the finished project. Everyone I show it to is very impressed and I love that I made my 18 month old her own ornament with her name and 2010 on it. THANK YOU!

This is so cute! Thanks to craftgawker, I'm now planning to make all Christmas presents this year! Do you think this would work to make nesting dolls with? I'm sure the size and exact details might have to be tested but I think it's a super cute idea.. and thanks to linking to the great "Stitch School" website-just what I needed!

Hi Danielle, thank you for sharing this beautiful doll. I've done the doll last night and although my embroidery is completely amateur, I think I have done a beautiful doll. I've posted on my blog. Thank you. kissesmamélia

Thank you for this! I bought one at a craft show and was just going to make a pattern myself, but now I get the original! I am also super stoked about Stitch School...I need it! Can't wait to make these for friends (and more for myself!).

I just finished my first one (with very basic embroidery (i think the back stitch on the entire thing) but it is just so cute! I'm going to make one for all the women in my family....all in different colors!

Thank you so much for this darling tutorial. This is just what I needed to make a special ornament for my daughters for Christmas. I better get started today!Thanks again for sharing your talent with us!Shaunamyshaenoel.blogspot.com

I've not made the ornament, exactly, but I loved your design and turned it into a farewell card for a colleague who will be missed. If you'd like to see it I blogged it here http://www.triplethreatlibrarian.com/2012/06/quite-few-things-have-happened-since-my.html

Thank you for this! I bought one at a craft show and was just going to make a pattern myself, but now I get the original! I am also super stoked about Stitch School...I need it! Can't wait to make these for friends (and more for myself!).

Thank you for this! I bought one at a craft show and was just going to make a pattern myself, but now I get the original! I am also super stoked about Stitch School...I need it! Can't wait to make these for friends (and more for myself!).

Thank you for the detailed instruction! I have never done anything like this before and I learned so much! I'm excited to take what I've learned and make felt ornaments for all my family!Here's my ornament:http://pinterest.com/pin/546342998517187264/

I wound up making about 15 of these dolls for my doll club members and they turned out so cute! I used felt from Michael's. then I discovered how wonderful wool felt is, so I made one for my neighbor for a Christmas present (we exchange gifts every year) and designed a little nutcracker boy ornament to go with her. I wound up using "Strawberry Parfait" wool felt for the flower petals that I found at Colonial Crafts. I never made myself a doll(!) so today I am working on her. Spring for the wool felt...it is worth it! Now, a question.....how do you keep the moths from eating these wool felt ornaments?

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